Campfire Story
by dave-d
Summary: Shinobi camping on vacation. A roaring campfire. Ghost stories. Something goes wrong. Horribly wrong. [one shot]


**A/N: **

_This is a re-write of the previous story 'One Demon Too Many.'_

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The fire crackled loudly, causing a number of the girls to jump.

Huge sparks jumped out, landing amongst the campers. Kiba smiled, poking at the burning logs, watching as Ino and Sakura started with food preparation.

Naruto fanned the flames some, using a paper fan that Hinata had brought to him, after she pent nearly thirty minutes working up the courage.

The young ninja in the orange and black jumpsuit was still grumbling to himself after the other girls had said 'No jutsus allowed' in preparation of the campfire. _"Shit. _That damn perverted hermit taught me _Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu, _and Kakashi showed me the _Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu technique _he had copied." Naruto groused. It wasn't really as if he wanted to show off or anything. At least, not too much.

"Hey, don't blow the smoke this way, Baka!" Shikamaru began coughing.

Lee got up and moved his seat, as did Ten Ten and Neji. Choji watched, paying little attention. A pile of empty bags lay at his feet. The cloud of ashes heading his way might add a smoky flavor to his chips and pork rinds. Shino moved the bugs he had collected out of harm's way.

The dancing flames threw their light a fair distance into the thickly clustered poplars and evergreens. The large circle of stones surrounding the fire looked to have been brought down from the mountain looming over the campsite. It was a marvelous camping site. Kurenai's team had come across it once during a mission against the Rain.

A number of diminutive houses were vaguely visible at the cringes of the fire light. They were very old, even ancient; but, they were in good shape, considering they were not well maintained. A small shrine was nestled amongst them, intriguing in its architecture. No one cared about the history of that artifice. Shino was ecstatic because he found a nest of _Cicindela kaseica momijiana _when he pried loose a crumbling stone slab.

"Nag nag _nag nag **nag." **_Naruto said. "Your name out to be _Nag_-a, not Nara." He laughed at his own joke. "I'd suggest that you work on the fire yourself, but you'd find it just too damn bothersome."

"Shikamaru finds everything bothersome," Choji said. "Everything except a certain young lady from the Sand. He… _owww_… **_ooooh_**…" The young shinobi sat up abruptly, his eyes bulging. Ino had just thrown a very hot piece of leaf-wrapped fish into his lap.

"_Oh! _Choji. Sorry, that slipped. Toss it back. It hasn't finished cooking yet." Ino frowned, looking at Shikamaru. Then she sighed.

"Mmmmph…" Choji decided to eat the fish anyway. It was done well enough for him. "Naga wouldn't be a good name for Shikamaru," he told Naruto. "The word 'Naga' comes from the Sanskrit, and nag is still the word for snake in many Indian languages." He paused, munching on the leaf-wrapped fish some more, without bothering to remove the leaves.

Naruto scowled, and then looked over at Sakura. She sighed and nodded. Some day, the two of them would bring Sasuke back. But, neither of them had any idea what he might be doing under the tutelage of Orochimaru.

"Naga is also term used for unseen beings associated with water and fluid energy… or for persons having powerful animal-like qualities… or conversely for an impressive animal with human qualities." Choji blew on his fingers for a bit.

Naruto shook his head, hearing that 'persons having animal-like qualities' stuff. Even camping-out with his friends, he couldn't escape thoughts of Kyuubi.

"Yeh. Animals with human qualities. Like Akamaru." Kiba watched as his friend yapped a reply. "And Naruto…" He wasn't commenting on the Nine Tails. Only Naruto, Sakura, Neji, Lee, and Ten Ten knew that secret. They had found out during the mission to rescue Gaara.

Naruto fought the urge to give Kiba the finger.

"In myths, legends, scripture, and folklore, the category Naga comprises all kinds of serpentine beings. That includes deities of the primal ocean; spirits of mountain springs; and spirits of earth and the realm beneath it." Choji was on a roll. He had hit upon one of the few topics liked reading about. Myths and legends. "Because of its shape and its association with renewal, the serpent is a phallic symbol. For that reason, images of nagas adorn houses and shrines and temples in some nations, as they are thought to bring plentiful harvests and many children."

"_Phallic?" _Kiba snorted. Akamaru yipped and howled. "You're right, then. Naga wouldn't be a good word for Shikamaru."

Naruto laughed. Kiba's sense of humor was great, when _he _wasn't its target. Turning to hand the fan back to Hinata, he wondered why she was blushing. When she saw that he was looking at her, she fell backwards off of her log.

Shikamaru flattened his lips, not troubling himself with a reply. He looked up at the sky, watching the long whispy clouds that passed in front of the large full moon.

"You sure know a lot about that kind of thing," Ten Ten said to Choji. She was only partly curious in regards to Choji's scholarly aptitude on the subject. Mostly, she was interested in staring at Neji, who looked rather uncomfortable with the attention. Lee, seated nearby, looked at the girl with a hangdog look. Sighing, he switched his gaze to Sakura. He sighed again.

Choji just nodded.

"Hey, isn't that fish done yet? Kiba asked when his stomach rumbled. "After all the work we did catching it!"

Akamaru barked a short burst of canine laughter. For their part, Kiba and his canine companion had spent their time running about, chasing fish through the shallow waters, splashing the serious fishermen, and those who just wanted to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the setting.

"Yeh, _right!" _Naruto said. "You're the one who did the least. Neji and Hinata were the ones who truly rocked."

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered that name, and then slid off of her log again.

"Them and Uzumaki Naruto…" Naruto placed his foot up on one of the stones near the fire. His eyes went large. He had forgotten to put his sandals back on. The rock was very hot. Falling to his rump, he began blowing on his foot. Rubbing her fingers together, Hinata went to find her small jar of ointment.

Naruto wasn't bragging this time. Some of the rainbow trout had been caught by Shikamaru, Choji, Lee, and Ino, using long bamboo poles gathered by Sakura, and bugs caught by Shino. But, most of the fish had been caught by scores of Naruto clones, all of whom were vectored in on their piscine targets by Neji's and Hinata's Byakugan. A fair number were caught in similar fashion, with Ten Ten throwing a multitude of kunei at the fish her teammate had located.

"Naruto is troublesome," Shikamaru said. Grinning, he added "But the fishing was not." He had stood in the clear water running off the mountain, a peaceful look on his face as he watched the late afternoon sky.

"That's right," Ino said, trying to curry favor with Shikamaru. "We owe the best fish to you!"

"_Oh? _How's that?" Sakura naturally questioned any claim made by Ino.

Kiba answered before Ino could. "Fly fishing!"

"But we didn't bring any and flies…" Lee started to say.

"Not _that_ kind, Lee." Kiba chuckled. "Shikamaru pulled down his fly, and the damn thing thought it saw a worm!"

Shikamaru and Ino sighed and shook their heads. Hinata dropped the jar of medicinal cream she was handing to Naruto.

"You're not telling me that his freaking thing has a hook at the end, are you?" Naruto asked Kiba, chuckling.

"No." Kiba smiled, appreciating Naruto's twisted wit. "That's where Ino came in." Kiba winked at Sakura. "She shouted 'I saw that first,' and then wrestled the salmon to land."

Most of the ninjas laughed, with Sakura's laugh being the loudest of all. Ino took the ladle out of a large iron pot, then threw it at Kiba, along with some pork and cabbage stew.

"You're not still angry that Shikamaru chose Temari, _are_ you?" Kiba said, retrieving the ladle. "Maybe if you learned how to fan dance…."

Ten Ten had to hold Ino back. Sakura was chuckling, much too loudly. Naruto scratched his head, seeing the perplexed look on Hinata's face. "You get the joke about the hook, Hinata? How about the stuff about fan dancing." He whispered in her ear, explaining things. That had Sakura rushing to give medical aid when the white-eyed girl passed out.

"I hope that you're not still thinking about asking Sakura out, Lee." Ino smirked, angry at Sakura's prior response. "I mean, she already drove one shinobi out of the Hidden Leaf Village!"

Sakura scowled. She opened her mouth, but just turned up her nose. There was no way she wanted to give Ino too much satisfaction. She froze for a moment. Her, dating Lee? He was a really nice guy and a fine friend; but, those eyebrows…shiver…

"**Hah!" **Naruto laughed. "I can just imagine how things would go if Lee _did _date Sakura." He had long since given up on his crush for Sakura. "I must get this kiss correct, or I will do two hundred leg kicks. I must remember to caress her hair, or it will be three hundred laps around Konoha. The fondling must make her swoon or I will punch the wooden post one thousand times."

Kiba applauded. Shikamaru sighed again. Choji continued snacking at a furious rate. Neji managed a small smile. Ten Ten looked starry eyed, seeing that smile. Sakura glared at her former Team Seven member.

"Lee won't get any dates," Shino put in. You could have heard a pin drop, The only sound was the crackling of the fire and a distant owl. Aburame Shino had actually spoken. "Not with _that_ suit…"

"He's not the only one," Sakura said, helping Hinata up. "Gai gave you one of those green stretchy suits once, _didn't_ he Naruto?" She tossed her hair. "You might have a better chance with that instead of orange and black. Some of the others laughed or snickered. Hinata whispered "I like orange and black."

"So Kiba," Ino said, finally ready for pay back. "I hear that the girl from the Karineko clan dumped you."

"Huh?" Kiba's mouth fell open. He couldn't imagine how she had heard about _that. _"What? I wouldn't actually call it 'dumping.' We were just incompatible. My clan raises dogs. Hers raises cats."

"Oh. I see-e-e-e." Ten Ten shook her head. "Then the fact that she said you slobbered more than a dog had nothing to do with it, I suppose..."

Kiba stood stone still. He frowned when Naruto began guffawing. Ten Ten turned her attention to Naruto. "Naruto, did you ever work up the courage to ask Hinata out on a date?"

Hinata's eyes went impossibly wide. She instinctively slid closer to Naruto, scooting along the log they both sat on, ignoring the splinters she picked up.

"D-D-_Date? _I never said anything about a date." Naruto swallowed hard, seeing the look on Hinata's face.

"Really? Then why did you ask me what kind of food she liked?" Ten Ten said sweetly.

"Or the kind of flowers a girl might like…" Ino added.

"Hinata… I..." Naruto tried to stammer a wimpy denial.

"I… ummm… I accept, Naruto-kun." Hinata answered before Naruto could negate anything. She couldn't believe that it had been her saying that. But, this _was_ best chance she had ever had. No. It was more. It might be the best chance she would _ever_ get, if she had to actually wait for Naruto to ask. It was nice to know that he was actually interested, at least a little bit. But, that knowledge was not enough.

Naruto just stared. Could that be counted as an agreement to a date, if he never asked the question in the first place?

While they ate, the group of friends stopped with their gossip and spoke of their plans for the next day. Some planned to visit a series of majestic cascading waterfalls and then relax in a series of hot springs in the nearest village. Others had their heart set on shopping in a large and famous bazaar. After that, the topic turned to ghost stories. The girls were none too pleased.

"I hear that the _nopperabou_ haunt this area." Choji passed around a number of snack bags."

"N-N-Nopperabou…" Hinata slid closer to Naruto, who pretended to ignore her.

"Yes, the faceless ghosts." Choji didn't look like he was joking. "They are sometimes mistakenly referred to as a _mujina, _an old word for a badger or raccoon dog. Such creatures were thought to sometimes transform themselves into nopperabou in order to frighten humans."

"Th-That's ridiculous," Ino said. "Shikamaru, you're a genius. Have you ever heard of them?" She went to sit right next to him. He moved next to Choji.

"Yes," Shikamaru said. "Nopperabou are known primarily for frightening humans, but are usually otherwise harmless. _Usually. _They appear at first as ordinary human beings, sometimes impersonating someone familiar to the victim, before causing their features to disappear, leaving a blank, smooth sheet of skin where their face should be."

"Right!" Kiba spoke I a very low voice. "But, if people were to trifle with their ancient sacred shrines…" He looked in the direction of the shrine in the woods. "They would seek vengeance. They might steal the face of the people who trespassed, living their lives in their place."

"I only broke one stone," Shino said.

"It's only a legend," Sakura said a little too loudly. She folded her arms across her chest and tried to look unconcerned. Her glance darted into the forest and then back again.

"I heard a story about just such a creature, once." That was Neji. The fact that he spoke up on such a manner had the girls looking somewhat antsy. Lee looked a bit concerned himself. Akamaru burrowed under the pile of sleeping bags and tents.

"St-Story…" Hinata looked like she wanted to join Akamaru. "You mean a folk tale…"

"Who can say," Neji answered. "The old veteran shinobi who told the tale thought it was true." He looked down at his arm when Ten Ten grabbed hold. "This is what he told me:

"On the Great Stone Road, at the border of the Fire Country, there is a slope where you can see an ancient moat, deep and very wide, with high green banks rising up to abandoned gardens, near one of the early forts. A road between towns is located in that historic area. That avenue is very dark at night, and most belated pedestrians go miles out of their way rather than walk that area alone after sunset. All because of the Mujina that walk there."

"**Arrrrrrrr-_r-r-r-r-r-r_…" **Kiba had snuck up behind Ino without her knowing it. She jumped Landing, she made her tormenter dance to avoid her thrown shuriken.

"The shinobi's friend was an old merchant of the Kyôbashi quarter. He is the one who passed along this story." Neji gently unwrapped Ten Ten's fingers from his arm. On any other girl, that look would have been called a pout. All of the guys there knew better than to accuse Ten ten of pouting. "One night, at a late hour, he was hurrying along that road when he saw a woman crouching by the moat, all alone, and weeping bitterly. Fearing that she intended to drown herself, he stopped to offer her his aid. She appeared to be a slight and graceful person, perhaps something like my cousin."

"**Eep!" **Hinata would have fallen off of her log again. But, she had driven two kunei into the wood, and was grasping them tightly.

"She was handsomely dressed, and her hair was arranged like that of a young girl of good family. 'O-jochû,' the man exclaimed, 'Honorable maiden, do not cry like that! Tell me what the trouble is; and if there be any way to help you, I shall be glad to help you.' But, the woman continued to weep, hiding her face from him with one of her long sleeves. 'O-jochû,' the merchant said again, "Please, please listen to me! This is no place for a young lady at night!' Slowly the woman rose up, but turned her back to him, and continued to moan and sob behind her sleeve. He laid his hand lightly upon her shoulder, and pleaded 'Honorable maiden, listen to me, just for one little moment!' At that, the O-jochû turned round, and dropped her sleeve, and stroked her face with her hand. The man saw that she had no eyes or nose or mouth. He screamed and ran away."

"Th-That wasn't so scary… _was _it Hinata?" Sakura took out a file and began working on her nails.

"N-No…" Hinata lied. Naruto was looking at her.

"Well, enough stupid stories!" Ino coughed. "Anyone want some marshmallows?"

"Sorry," Choji said, holding up the empty marshmallow bag.

"That's not the end of the tale," Neji said. "The merchant ran as fast as he could along the road, leaving his wares behind. On and on he ran, never daring to look back. At last he saw a lantern, so far away that it looked like the gleam of a firefly. He made for it. It was not a light in the next town as he had hoped. Instead, it proved to be the lantern of an itinerant soba-seller, who was still in the process of taking down his road-side stand. The man threw himself down at the feet of his fellow merchant, crying out, "Aa… aa… aa…"

"**Aaaaaaaaaa-_a-a-a-a-a-a_**…" Kiba tried it on Sakura this time. The Tsunade-like punch had him cart wheeling half way to the forest edge.

'Koré! Koré!' exclaimed the soba-man. 'Here! What's the matter with you? Did somebody hurt you?' The merchant spoke after catching his breath. 'No, nobody hurt me… only… aaa… aaa…' The soba-man said 'Someone scared you? Was it robbers?' The merchant shook his head, saying 'I saw… I saw a woman by the moat…. and she showed me… aaaaaa… I cannot tell you what she showed me!' The soba-man asked 'Was it anything like this that she showed you?' He stroked his own face, which looked as featureless as an egg…" Neji worked a series of one-handed seals, performing a partial Henge. His face went entirely blank.

Simultaneously, Naruto performed one of his newer techniques, _Kokuangyō no Jutsu, _causing the entire campfire area to be plunged into complete darkness. The guys were all in on the joke, except Lee. They were worried that he might give things away and ruin the gag.

"**OHHHHHHH-_H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-!" _**That was Lee's shout. "I will protect you girls."

There was a jumble of sounds. "Don't touch me there!" Ten Ten Shouted. There was a loud slapping noise. "Sorry!" Lee replied. "Kiba you pig!" That was Ino. There was another slapping sound. "Why did you strike _me, _Ino." That was Shikamaru. "Oh! I'm so sorry." That was Ino again. The crinkling sound of a snack bag could be heard, following by munching and gulping. Choji didn't need to see anything to enjoy the show.

"I'll protect you, Naruto-kun…" Hinata tripped and fell onto Naruto. His jutsu gave out. When everybody looked in their direction, they saw Hinata laying atop a prone Naruto, straddling him in a very provocative pose.

"Way to go, Naruto." Kiba chuckled.

Choji placed a hand over his nose, trying to staunch the flow of blood. Shikamaru closed his eyes and sighed. The look that Sakura, Ino, and Ten Ten turned on Naruto promised a lot worse than a Thousand Years of Pain.

"But I didn't _do_ anything!" Naruto asserted. He pursed his lips. One of his hands was on something soft. He squeezed without looking.

"**_Eeek!" _**Hinata squeaked. It had been her breast.

"**G-I-R-L-S-!" **Sakura's curt shout had the other distaff teaching Naruto a lesson he didn't really deserve. As he lay moaning, he promised never to laugh again when a similar thing happened in one of the anime shows he watched.

There was a loud noise in the forest. That had Kiba smiling a subtle smile. "_Hmmmm. _Wonder what that was. Maybe a _Shikome_ bandit. A hobgoblin." He rubbed his jaw. "They are said to be common in the mountains."

"That's just an old wives tale!" Ino said. "You're not going to trick us again."

"I wouldn't be so fast to right off all mysterious creatures as hearsay or bed time stories,"

Shikamaru said. "My mother thought that the stories that my father told were bothersome. That alone gives me reason to keep an open mind." He sighed. "And, after our village fell prey to the Kyuubi, why should smaller creatures be so readily dismissed?"

"We are close enough to the mountain to worry about _Yama-Uba, _too." Choji said. "Credible mountain climbers have claimed to see the Snow Women. They are said to be spirits that inhabit high mountain areas. Evil demonic entities, they appear as hideous crones, dressed in ragged Kimonos, covered with a layer of ice and frost. They knock travelers off of steep trails and into the ravines below. They can then feast on their flesh at their leisure."

"Fl-Fl-_Flesh_…" Hinata moved closer to Naruto again.

"But, they would rather fill their bloated bellies with living meat." Choji muched loudly on a mouthful of chips. That had Ten Ten flinching. "They can smell human flesh from miles away, easily locating them in the vast mountain ranges. They will pursue their prey until they catch them, or until the victim leaves the mountains."

"We're not too far from the waterfall and lake," Neji mentioned. "If the noise is some kind of creature, we should consider _kappa."_

"I hope not," Choji said. "They consider meat of all forms to be food. But, they are only really a danger when their victims wander near the water. Grappling with hideous strength, they drag the unfortunates to the depths of their lairs."

"But, in the stories my father told me…" Sakura looked over at a snickering Ino. "I said they were stories. I _didn't_ say that I believed them!" She put her hands on her hips. "The kappa were said to be very polite, unlike _some_ people I know!" She gave each of the boys a nasty glare after sparing her worst for Ino. "No matter how hungry they were, they would always return a bow."

"That's what would defeat the creatures," Lee put in. "Water would spill out of the bowl-like depression on its head, weakening the Kappa enough so that it could be dealt with successfully. The trick only worked once for each creature."

"Kappa are small, ugly creatures. Looking like a scaly ape with a turtle-like shell, they are rather relentless"" Choji said. "They suck out their victims entrails." Choji made a slurping sound. That had Hinata rubbing her fingers together fast enough to cause blisters.

"They suck them out through the victim's anus," Kiba added, trying not to laugh. He wasn't joking, but it certainly sounded ridiculous. Shikamaru and Neji nodded, having heard that as well.

"So, if you see a Kappa sucking on Ino's lips, that doesn't mean the story is wrong." Sakura harrumphed. "It would be an honest mistake on the Kappa's part!"

"**Sakura!" **Ino stood up. _"You…"_

"I wouldn't shout too loudly," Choji said. "We don't want to draw undue attention, if it's _Buso_ we're dealing with."

"B-B-Buso?" Hinata leaned up against Naruto. Her eyes were very wide. Naruto was about to move further away, but sat transfixed by those eyes, glowing as they did in the firelight.

"Yes. Flesh-eating spirits, thought to be the spirit of someone who died of starvation. They roam the dark alleys and deserted areas of cities and camps looking for a walking meal." Choji said. "They use their vicious talons and sharp pointed teeth to make short work of the unfortunate men or women they come across."

There was another noise off in the forest. Ino, Ten Ten, and Sakura looked somewhat on edge. Hinata didn't care. She was nestled against a confused and sweating Naruto. She simply closed her eyes and sighed.

After that, Lee spoke about _Tengu _and Neji mentioned _Rokiro-Kubi _and _Gaki. _Naruto mentioned something that he had heard about _Yuki-onna_, after thinking about mountain tops, snow, and Fujimi Yuki. Choji brought up _Rokurokubi _and _Hitotsume-Kozou. _Feeling a need to speak, Sakura told a tale about _Kitsune_ after whispering a silent apology to Naruto. Ino countered with two stories about _Tanuki._

"I remember stories about _Nekomata," _Hinata said, surprising everyone. "It was once believed that after a cat reached ten years of age, it would develop profound magical powers after its tail split into two tails. By gesturing with its tail, a nekomata could animate and control the dead to do their bidding, sometimes making them dance for their amusement."

"Hah… cats." Kiba snorted. Akamaru just shook his head, tail thumping slowly against the ground. "_Inugami. _Wild dog spirits Those are much more interesting. Some claimed that a spirit of a dearly-beloved hound could be called from his rest and transformed into the creature of righteous vengeance. Others claimed that a dearly beloved pet must meet his end by the hands of an owner he trusts, then be buried at a crossroads and an incantation recited over his burial place."

Akamaru shivered, looking up at Kiba.

"No need to worry, Akamaru." Kiba said. "Still other sources claim that inugami roam freely. However it might appear, when the summoner directed the dog towards its target, it would strike with ferocity and viciousness to put even the most callous and resolute in a fearful state."

"The _Kamaitachi_ is another mysterious creature," Choji said. "Oftentimes a traveler will be going through a place, especially swamps and forests, and suddenly and without warning they will be attacked by a force moving so fast it can hardly be seen. The victim is often knocked down swiftly and cut deeply, but the cuts do not bleed very much at all. However, the attacks are sometimes fatal, and are undoubtedly very painful, even if not so serious."

Shikamaru turned a baleful eye on his friend. He knew exactly where this description was headed.

"Those survivors of attacks who managed to keep their wits about them, have consistently reported seeing three weasels rolling through the air, wielding sickles." Choji glanced at his teammate out of the corner of his eye. Then, he looked over at his other teammate. "These are what they use to attack their targets, and apparently they do so with such grace and skill that little blood is actually shed. Another supposition is that they actually heal their victim's wound just enough for it not to bleed excessively, sometimes attacking again afterwards." He paused. "Hey, Shikamaru…"

"Yes," Shikamaru said, not needing to hear the question. "Temari's summoning is a small Kamaitachi."

Ino didn't know whether to glare at Choji or Shikamaru.

"Well, summoned creatures are one thing," Sakura said. "They don't live in the same world that _we _do. "The Kyuubi might have been real… and so are Katsuyu and other great beasts like Gama Bunta and Shukakau…" That had her shivering, thinking back to her encounter with Gaara and that creature. "But, all of the other creatures we've mentioned are just make-believe."

"Yes," Ten Ten said. "If these creatures existed, they would present a danger to people. As shinobi, we have to protect those people."

"_Exactly," _Ino said, feeling a surge of confidence. "If such creatures existed, we would be trained to deal with them."

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata wasn't paying much attention to the conversation anymore.

Naruto wondered why he was feeling so comfortable.

"A lot of old stories have a basis in truth," Choji said. "My family can trace its origin back to Shoki. The _Oni_ figure very prominently in stories of him."

"Oni?" Ten Ten scrutizined Choji's face, trying to see if he would smirk and give himself away.

"They are technically a mountain spirit, one supposedly embodying the force of the mountain and the majesty of its splendor." Choji cracked his knuckles. "Not always seen as evil or totally malevolent, they are always respected, and usually feared due to their immense strength and sheer power."

"**Like me!" **Naruto's remark had everyone sighing. Hinata sighed for a different reason than the others,

"Earthquakes and volcanoes were thought to be caused by oni when they were angry at villages near the mountains they inhabited." Choji reached over near the fire and picked up a piece of leaf-wrapped fish that no one had claimed. "In some places, oni were treated as deities of the mountain, to be honored and appreciated."

"Just like…" Naruto didn't have a chance to finish.

"**_Be quiet!" _**Everyone except Naruto and Hinata shouted that.

"As time went on, however, more stories spread about oni being terrible, violent, and fearsome. Some priests claimed that they guarded the gate of _Jigoku, _the Buddhist hell. Whatever their true origin, tales were told of oni eating people alive and having a particular taste for human flesh. _Want any?" _Choji held the half-eaten piece of fleshy salmon out to his friends. They all quickly declined. "Their cruelty was renowned, since typically the tendency of gossip is to spread the worst stories possible, and not the kindest. And of course, many ancient shinobi would boast of their travels, telling stories of how they had gone out and slain many oni and claimed miraculous treasures."

"Oh. I remember a story with Oni in it," Lee said. "Momotarou, the Peach-Boy, went to Onigashima. That was an island where many oni lived, and where they stored treasures they had stolen from the town where Momotarou's adoptive parents lived. "

"I heard that story too," Sakura said. "But my mother just called them monsters, not oni. Momotarou and his animal friends… a sparrow, a monkey, and a dog… were able to defeat the monsters thanks to the supernatural strength the hero had after eating millet dumplings made by his mother."

"Shinto priests and monks typically had little to fear from oni, as holy magic and the power of deities either drove them away, defended against their attacks, or weakened them considerably." Choji said. "In some stories it is implied that kitsune and oni do not get along. Like the Phoenix and Dragon they would appear to be foils to each other in many ways, and were supposed to clash from time to time. Some oni were able to shapeshift, even into the shape of a beautiful woman! However, there were particular qualities about any form an oni took that might give it away, such as the immense strength and appetite, or perhaps the facial structure."

That had Ino looking at Sakura and smiling. Sakura clenched her fists, but held her tongue.

"They also were horny bastards," Kiba said. "Literally _and_ figuratively. They were supposed to look for human females, finding them much more desirable than the ugly females of their own race."

"Ino is safe!" Sakura said, at the exact same time Ino said "Sakura has nothing to worry about."

"Who was Shoki?" Hinata asked her question, hoping to distract her two quarreling friends.

"My relative was known as the Demon Queller. To some people, he was later worshipped as the god of the afterlife and of exorcism. But, he was a man. Even today, some families with male children hang images of Shoki outside their houses to ward off evil spirits during _Tango no Sekku, _the Boys' Day Festival."

"Why would demons be afraid of a human?" Ten Ten asked skeptically.

"Shoki did not look like the typical warrior," Choji said. "If you saw him walking about today, you might even laugh. He's typically depicted as a portly bewhiskered man. He wore a scholar's robe, a hat, heavy knee-high boots, and carried a large sword. He had large eyes and a bulbous nose. But, despite his appearance, he was a skilled fighter. I'm not exactly certain what gave him his powers. But, as his nickname suggests, he was said to quell demons rather than killing them. The vanquished demons become allies, helping him in his quest of good against evil."

"I bet your ancestors just exaggerated. The tale probably grew with each telling." Sakura shrugged.

"I am not so certain," Choji said. "I've read the scrolls. There is an awful lot of detail about Oni, including specific demons, the trouble they caused, and the lands they scourged."

"What kind of details" Kiba asked. He accepted one of Choji's snack bags.

"Oni have humanoid shape. They are described as having three eyes, horns, and sharp nails. Some monks claimed that the creatures served an official purpose, lingering around wicked people to claim their souls when they died, transporting them by chariot to Emma-Hoo, the god of hell." Choji looked around the fire. Skeptical or not, everyone was listening to him. "As I said before, they wreaked havoc by causing earthquakes and other natural disasters, such as plagues. They were also famous for helping invading enemies get a foothold on native soil. " He went on to mention other sundry facts.

Shikamaru nodded, and then spoke himself. "My family still has a scroll relating to the ancient _Oni-Yarabi _ceremony, which was designed to cleanse an infected area of the Oni demons. But, my father believes that the stories of that kind of demon sprang from mythology and superstitions carried over from various religious traditions."

Choji shook his head. "People _always_ say that. But, your father has not read our scrolls. The stories are often quite consistent, even though they come from different time periods and different villages. Oni are always described as wearing tiger skins and being able to fly. The color of their body is red, blue, or black, and rarely green. They usually carry a big iron club, the _kanabou." _His lap was covered with chip fragments. He was really getting into things. Ino looked at him scowling as if she had some great need to brush the crumbs away. "There are numerous old records that say oni can be summoned and made to do one's bidding, if the summoner knows the proper jutsu." Choji looked very intense. "My father has such a scroll. He thinks of it only as an heirloom. I'm not supposed to know about it, but have read it many times."

"**Shit!" **Kiba punched himself in the knee. _**"**_For a while there, I was taking you seriously!" Kiba got up and scratched. Akamaru yapped at Choji.

"But…" Choji frowned. He didn't like it when people simply wrote off him or his words. It had happened much of his life.

"I'm with Kiba!" Naruto laughed. "Calling Oni? _Right!" _he shook his head. "Frogs… sure. Slugs… you bet. Snakes… I wish not. But Oni… plea-a-a-a-se!"

"But…" Choji clenched his fists, popping two bags of pork rinds. When he was younger, everyone chose to side with the thinner children. No one ever took his side. He knew that he shouldn't feel bad around his friends, but he couldn't help it.

"**_AHH-H-H-H-H-H-H!" _**Lee stood up. "Having trained with Gai-sensei, I will not be so easily fooled. "I almost fell for that. When I get back to Konoha, I will need to do fifty laps."

"But…" Choji's eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. He was not lying. He was not trying to fool anyone. He was sharing something that he was interested in.

"I would tend to look at things from the viewpoint of logic," Neji put in. "If such a summoning was possible… and oni could be summoned and controlled… such a creature would make a formidable ally. We would have suffered far less at the hands of the Sand and Sound, had there been oni at our command."

Choji stood up, his face red. His nostrils flared again as Sakura, Ten Ten, and Ino chimed in with their thoughts and opinions. "I can _prove_ it!"

If the scrolls were truly authentic, and the rituals were accurate, there would be a great deal of danger involved. As a young boy, left out of game after game, he had huddled down in his family's cellar with a candle, memorizing the writing, thinking he might be able to summon a playmate in that fashion.

"Hey, it's alright, Choji. No one is calling you a liar. We're all friends here. Everyone is just having fun." Shikamaru sighed. "There is no need to perjure yourself." He peeled a thin splinter off of his log, then used it to pick between his teeth.

Choji just stood staring at his friend _"Shikamaru? _You don't believe me either?"

Shikamaru was feeling lazy. He should have said 'I believe that you think what you are saying is true. But, I don't believe the underlying supposition is possible.' He didn't. Instead, all he said was "No."

Choji looked around the campfire. "Does anyone have a blank scroll? I need one."

"Real or not, it's not wise to mess around with summoning." Naruto made a face and shook his head. "The Frog Hermit warned me about that a lot of times."

"Come on. Don't be such a wuss." Kiba slapped Naruto hard on the back. "Humor the guy. This ought to be good for a few laughs."

Naruto shook his head. "Choji's upset. I don't want to see him fail, and then feel even worse. I know what _that _feels like. Maybe we should just talk about something else. Like the new jutsus that each of us have learned…"

Hinata nodded her head and gazed at Naruto, glad to see him stand up for someone he cared about.

"**OH-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H!" **Lee struck a Gai like pose, firelight reflecting off of his teeth. "Naruto-kun, your defense of a friend inspires me."

"Are you _afraid_ to let me try, Naruto?" Choji had mucus dripping from his nose. His face was beet red. The snack bags were long forgotten.

"Of course not!" That had Naruto frowning. "I'm just…."

"Whoa! Naruto!" Kiba said. "What about all your talk about your Ninja Way. You like to stand up to what you say. Why shouldn't Choji?" Akamaru barked in agreement.

"For once I agree with Naruto." Sakura said. "But, just this once."

"Right! And I have to agree with the Freaky Forehead Girl," Ino said.

Naruto sat staring at Choji for a while, ignoring the different conversations that were now going on."You _sure_ you want to try this?" He put one arm behind his head.

"Yes." Choji clenched both hands into fists.

"OK." Naruto created a clone and sent it over to the house that he had put his supplies into. The copy returned with a large duffel bag. Emptying it out, Naruto kicked an empty scroll over to Choji. He took the top off of pots of colored inks, and unwrapped his set of brushes. "You can use these if you like. Knock yourself out!"

Choji got to work. His tongue protruding, he began drawing seals and writing in ancient languages. He didn't know what the words and symbols meant, but he knew their exact shape and measure. _"There!" _Everyone looked down at the complex markings.

"Maybe we shouldn't…" Hinata began saying.

Choji bit his thumb, smeared blood on his hand, and then slammed his palm on the paper. Everyone waited, the suspense killing them. Even though they didn't expect anything to happen, they all shared a feeling of anticipation. The silence grew onerous.

"Well, I guess _that _proves who's right!" Kiba hooked a thumb under one arm. Akamaru odded.

Suddenly, the fire flared to five times its original size, singeing those who had sat closest to it. A huge column of flickering smoke rose towards the watching moon. The stench of brimstone, putrescence, and corruption spread outward in successive waves. Everyone stepped back, covering their eyes and gagging.

Naruto stepped in front of Hinata. The first to notice a form take shape in the blaze, he began forming Rasengan. "Everybody be on guard. Something's there." He felt his body quiver. The presence was overwhelming.

"**WHAT? HOW! "**

An impossibly deep voice rumbled, sounding like stones bouncing around in a rolling barrel.

The shinobi immediately took up fighting stances, uncertain whether or not the voice was an oni, and if it was, whether or not the creature would be under their friend's control.

"**IT HAS BEEN MANY AGES SINCE I HAVE BEEN CALLED FORTH TO THIS WORLD**."

The fire began returning to its normal size. The outline of the hideous creature became more readily discernible.

Akamaru stood near Kiba, growling. Naruto hesitated, letting the Rasengan die out this time. Jiraiya had pounded patience into his head; but, it didn't really take seed until Kakshi kept a reign on him during the actions against Akatsuki. Could this creature actually be contracted to Choji?

"**I CAN SENSE HIS BLOOD. IT IS NOT HIM. JUST THE SAME, HIS LINE LIVES ON."**

A huge from stood in the center of their clearing, knocking flaming logs away with a sweep of its huge studded iron club. The Oni's skin was bright red. Its hair was dark blue tipped with black. The eyes burned yellow. Its body was human in shape, but not in proportion. The demon stood more than nine feet in height, its tiger skin loin cloth hiding maleness of unimaginable size. The clawed fingers seemed much too long, and the wickedly talon-tipped toes seemed far too lengthy. The belly was far beyond ponderous, pushing a tiger skin vest apart. Skulls hung on one end of a belt made of human hair. Bloody bags hung on the other side.

The great head turned towards Choji, burning eyes seeking him out. Giant tusks splayed apart rubbery lips, showing the shark-like teeth. Huge twisted horns curved upward from the sides of its forehead, and just above the central eye. The nose was flat and broad, its nostrils flaring as it sniffed the air.

"**YOU HAVE THE BLOOD OF SHOKI! **"

It pointed its long arm at Choji. The ninja stood his ground, soon flanked by Ino and Shikamaru.

"**I DO NOT SENSE THE SWORD'S PRESENCE… **"

"Sw-Sw-Sword?" Choji fought the urge to relieve himself where he stood.

The Oni's tongue hung out, then licked the hideous cracked lips. Thunderous laughter had everyone covering their ears. The great club came down, pulverizing one boulder into dust.

"**YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW OF THE SWORD? NONE SHALL BE ABLE TO OPPOSE ME! **"

The creature laughed again, it's words giving a good indication of its intentions.

"_Wrong!" _That was Ten Ten's voice. A huge number of kunei and sickles sped towards the demon in rapid succession. It didn't even attempt to dodge, laughing as he weapons bounced harmlessly against its great hide. Explosive weapons followed, with no greater effect.

"**Let's go, Akamaru!" **Kiba and the dog performed the _Douteki Saitentei, _Dynamic Air Marking. That move was in preparation for the _Garouga, _Double Wolf Fang. As a bestial two-headed wolf he, he and Akamaru would drill into the Oni.

Breaking out of his shock, Choji wrapped a line of kunai around his body, getting ready for _Kasui Nikudan Sensha, _the Spiked Meat Tank.

Neji and Hinata passed hand signals to one another,and then each took up stance near the demon, performing _Kaiten_ at the exact same time. Dirt, leaves, fire, logs, and stone all were tossed or buffeted, but the Oni stood as if it were being caressed by a gentle Spring breeze.

Shikamaru used the _Kageshibari no Jutsu, _Shadow Freeze Technique, extending his shadow and connecting it with the body of the demonic ogre. The Oni flicked one finger. Untouched, Shikamaru flew ten feet backwards, knocking over Sakura.

Lee thought for only a moment, remembering the injuries he had obtained fighting Gaara. But, he had been healed, and had fought well against Kimimaro with Gaara as his ally. Judging his foe to be immensely powerful, he began setting himself up for _Omote Renge. _He opened the first of the Eight Celestial Gates.

Ino snapped out of her frightened trance. Trying to bolster her courage, she worked the seals for the _Shinranshin no Jutsu, _Body Traitor Technique. She was unable to control the demon. She too was flung backward by a contemptuous gesture from the horrid creature.

Shino readied his destruction bugs. Soon, they moved away from him in large groups, heading for the monster. They too proved useless.

"Well. It's nice to know that there is _someone_ uglier than me!" Naruto formed a fresh Rasengan. He smiled, when the Oni tried to flick him away in the same fashion it had Shikamaru and Ino. "Try a new trick, why don't you. I don't want a boring fight." With that he charged.

Laughing, the demon swung its iron club. Naruto blocked with his swirling Kyuubi enhanced chakra, managing to knock the club from the Oni's grasp, causing it to grunt and smile.

"Can't you do better than _that, _tiny?" Naruto didn't have any desire to keep his mouth shut.

"**IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT YOU, A DEMON, ARE CAPABLE OF THIS FEAT. **"

The words had Naruto blanching. Did the monster sense Kyuubi somehow. If so, why was the thing smiling?

"**IT IS NOT YOU WHO ARE A DEMON. YOU CONTAIN A DEMON. A GREAT YOUMA!"**

The Oni peered at Naruto, ignoring the attacks that the other shinobi aimed at it. Everyone worked well as a group, but their strongest attacks were not having the slightest ill effect.

"**IF I KILL YOU BOTH,I WILL GAIN GREAT STATUS BACK AT THE GATE!**"

The Oni picked up its club, swinging it towards Naruto. The club missed. Naruto just barely managed to dodge in time. Something had tripped up the demon just the slightest bit. No, not something. Someone. Hinata. She had thrown herself against the monster's leg.

"**_Hinata!" _**Neji and Naruto shouted at the same time. Neji managed to grab his cousin and flash out of the way, just as a massive foot left a deep impression where the girl had been laying. Naruto stumbled backward, needing to buy some time. There was something he wanted to do.

"Naruto, where are you going?" Kiba challenged. Naruto ignored him.

"**YOU PITIFUL INSIGNIFICANT INSECTS, YOU CAN DO NOTHING TO ME. I HAVE DEFEATED ENTIRE ARMIES.**"

The Oni's laughter echoed about the deep dark surrounding forest. All of the small animal life went silent, even the insects. Naruto saw that the creature was not following. He found himself falling inwardly, just as he had done as he had been plummeting towards his death in great chasm, moments before summoning Gama-Bunta for the first time.

He had thought to call the Boss Toad to fight the Oni; but he suspected that the demon would be two swift to make an easy target for the great amphibian. Gama Bunta might well destroy a good bit of the forest, without ever defeating the Oni. Nevertheless, he would call the great frog, if he found no answers now.

Soon, Naruto was back in an eerie and familiar setting. He ran for Kyuubi's cage.

_**YOU NEED NOT TELL ME WHY YOU ARE HERE, INSECT. I HEARD THE BOASTFUL WORDS. YOU NEED PUNISH HIS OPPORTUNISM.**_

"So, bastard fox. Can you tell me what I need to do?" Naruto didn't expect any argument or delaying tactics from the Nine Tails.

_**I CAN TEACH YOU A SEAL. YOU MUST FIND A WAY TO USE IT. IT IS THE ONLY THING YOU MIGHT SUCCEED AT.**_

Naruto transferred the information he needed into his conscious mind with no difficulty. He needed to find an opening. If the village's number one unpredictable ninja couldn't pull this off, no one could. He ran back to join his friends, many of whom looked decidedly worse for where. The Oni didn't look the slightest bit inconvenienced. Kiba repeated his _Garouga_ before being smacked hard to the ground, yards beyond the lit area.

"**MY MY MY. SUCH PUISSANT WARRIORS I FACE!**"

Again, the terrible laughter rang out. None of the combatants would be surprised if the word might be heard in distant villages. Anyone camping on the nearest mountain might have mistaken the voice for thunder instead.

"**I WILL JOY IN THE FEMALES. THE WHITE-EYED ONE SHALL BE FIRST. SHE WILL DIE FROM PAIN WHEN I TAKE HER.**"

The demon tossed off its loin cloth. The girls all looked away. The sight they saw was too terrible to comprehend. Naruto felt a red rage taking over him, literally. Kyuubi's chakra flooded into every inch of his body. Running, he kicked an empty scroll open, and then began to work with a brush in each hand. He was grateful for the calligraphy lessons that Jiraiya had given him over the past three years, even though he had bitched and moaned through every minute of them.

"**WHAT ARE YOU DOING, NOISY ONE? THAT SCRIBBLING WILL AVAIL YOU NAUGHT!"**

The Oni brushed aside the clustered Leaf shinobi, throwing its club at Naruto.

"_Naruto-kun!" _Hinata screamed when she saw the club crush Naruto. But, it wasn't Naruto. It was a clone.

"Cease your dumbass talk," Naruto said to the oni. "Can't you see I'm busy." He finished off his last brush stroke. Biting his finger, he streaked blood across a five-sided figure he had drawn.

"**WHAT?**"

The demon began to quiver.

"**WHAT IS THIS?**"

The oni's body began to expand, and then contract.

"**HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY…**"

Its eyes went wide. The answer was obvious. The boy alone wouldn't have known the answer. One of the oldest demons would.

"**TRAITOR!**"

In the blink of an eye, the massive monster was gone. No. Not gone. It had merely changed locations. Having reduced inside dramatically, it lay spread-eagled within the pentagon Naruto had inked.

Taking big and dramatic steps, Naruto walked over and looked down at the miniature Oni. "I will joy in your defeat. You won't touch the white-eyed female. _Shit! _You don't look too puissant yourself, now!"

The other shinobi all called out to Naruto, wanting to know what was going on. Even in its small size, the demon spoke loud enough to drown them all out.

"**LAUGH WHILE YOU CAN. THAT SEAL WILL HOLD YOUR ME FOR NAUGHT BUT TEN MINUTES. THEN I SHALL LEAVE IT**."

The Oni's eyes glowed with feral anticipation.

"Then, I will just make _another_ one. D'uh!" Naruto began doing just that after unrolling the scroll more. "There's room for plenty of them."

"**YES. AND I SHALL SHRINK AGAIN. AFTER TEN MINUTES MORE, I SHALL BE FREE OF IT, TOO! EVENTUALLY, YOUR ARM WILL CRAMP, OR YOUR CHAKRA WILL GO DRY."**

The words chilled everyone to the bone. Naruto began to sweat. He might run out of scroll parchment before his arm or Kyuubi's chakra gave out. He needed to come up with a plan. There must be some kind of trick. He always managed to find an angle at the last minute.

"Naruto, what…" Sakura was shushed by Naruto before she could finish speaking.

"Don't distract me now!" Naruto said. "Shikamaru… everyone… see if you can think things out."

Battered and bruised, Shikamaru sat down, placing his hands together in his contemplative posture. Choji looked at his friend, feeling terribly guilty.

The Oni traded places. Naruto had finished the new seal and pentagon just in time. Hinata walked over to him, looking very worried. The oni's words had left her feeling dizzy and frightened. "You can do it, Naruto-kun."

"He didn't tell _her_ to shut up," Sakura said under her breath

"Wait!" Naruto's eyes went wide. "Hmmm… maybe…"He smiled. _"Gotcha! _Uzumaki Naruto saves the day again!" He struck a pose that had Lee feeling pangs of envy. "And some people thought I would never make Hokage some day."

The demon merely chuckled. It saw no reason for the idiot boy to have such confidence. Time was on its side.

"**GET YOUR HOPES UP. IT WILL MAKE YOUR DEVASTATION AND DESPAIR ALL THE MORE SWEET."**

"Uh huh," Naruto said, looking down at the small horned-figure. "You have to fit inside the seal each time I draw it."

"**YES**."

"No matter what size it is."

"**YOU CAN SEE THAT, CAN YOU NOT?"**

"Wherever I draw it."

"**I DO NOT SEE THE POINT OF YOUR FEEBLE INQUIRIES."**

"No matter what I mark it on?"

"**YES. WHY?**"

The demon suddenly seemed worried, not knowing what Naruto might have in mind. It wondered if it had been foolhardy in answering the questions. Oni were extremely arrogant, but not terribly bright.

"I was right, then. I got you." He turned and looked at Hinata. "Want to step on the little bastard a few times before I get rid of him?"

"Ummm…" Hinata actually debated for a few seconds. She shook her head.

After Naruto watched the Oni transfer to the third small seal-bordered pentagon he drew, he started on a much larger one, drawn on the packed dirt itself, encircling the area where the campfire once burned. He had to work fast, but with tremendous attention to detail. He couldn't afford to leave an opening in his seal. If he did, it would not work, and he would not get another chance.

"Nobody walk near anything I draw!" Naruto was sweating. He didn't want to run out of time or ink. "If the lines aren't complete, the oni will escape."

"That's only going to use up your paint, Naruto!" Shikamaru, for all his genius, had not figured out Naruto's plan. "Why are you doing that? You still have plenty of paper left!"

Everyone else started looking very worried. The Oni laughed, having come to the same conclusion that Shikamaru had. Nartuto stepped back, just as the demon ended up spread-eagled on the ground.

"It's a good thing that the seal holds you motionless." Naruto took his paint and climbed up on the demon's belly. "Though, I wish it could give you a bath too. _Whew!"_

"**THAT TICKLES, LITTLE MOUSE. WHAT DO YOU WISH, TO NIBBLE ON MY BIG CHEESE?**"

The demon laughed, causing its great belly to quiver like a mound of hairy gelatin. Naruto swung his arms, maintaining his balance.

"Laugh it up, ugly. You'll be singing a new tune in about nine minutes." The young ninja took out his brush and redrew the seal. This time, however, he inked it on the Oni's massive abdomen.

Shikamaru began to chuckle. "Brilliant!" He had caught on.

"**WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?**"

The Oni demanded an answer. It growled when Naruto began laughing.

"**I CANNOT SEE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. TELL ME!**"

"Oh, it's much more fun to discover things for yourself." Naruto said. He then shook his head when Hinata asked him to explain things to her. He said "Watch." He began counting in his head. "It… should… be… about… time…"

"**FOOL! I AM FREE OF THE GROUND! YOU FAILED!**"

The Oni's confidence was premature. It was indeed free of the ground; but, it was by no means free to move.

"**WHAT IS HAPPENING?**"

The great monster began shrinking in size continuously. It didn't stop. Shouting, its voice soon sounded like the buzz of a fly. Then, there was no sound at all, and no sign of the demon.

"Alright, someone tell me what just happened!" Kiba limped over, Akamaru in his arms.

Naruto just smiled and shook his head. Shikamaru spoke up. "The demon had to dematerialize, then rematerialize in the new seal. But, it had to fit within the seal, no matter what size it was, or where it was drawn. Naruto drew it on the Oni's own belly. So, each time it shrank to fit, the seal shrank too. Then, instantaneously, it needed to shrink again. But, the seal kept shrinking as it did. It will never be small enough to fit."

Everyone congratulated Naruto after that. Choji wanted to walk off on his own, but the others stopped him. He had reason to feel guilty; but, they had all participated in some manner, either by angering him, egging him on, or standing idly by. They were all going to be okay. It would certainly be a vacation worth remembering.

Naruto began strutting around, very much pleased with himself. He claimed that there was nothing he was afraid of, and that there was nothing that he could not do. His ego had grown to an insufferable size.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun…" Hinata walked up shyly. "Ummm… about that date…"

"Huh?" Naruto was brought up short. "Yeh.. that…" He turned pale and began to sweat heavier than before. He took a few steps back.

Everyone else laughed until their sides hurt.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

THE END

**A/N:** This story owes a great debt to a short story by Larry Niven. '_Infinite Series_.'


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